Past and Present
by Puppet-Dancer
Summary: Sasuke and Sakura have been dating for almost a year now, but what will happen to their relationship when a girl from Sasuke’s past shows up? SASUXSAKU.
1. Past or present

**PAST AND PRESENT **

* * *

**Summary: **

Sasuke and Sakura have been dating for almost a year now, but what will happen to their relationship when a girl from Sasuke's past shows up?

* * *

**Past and Present**

Sakura was at the bridge looking at the clear water from below, as it made ripples from the fishes that came up to the surface. She was waiting for Sasuke, for they have plans to eat dinner together at a new store just paces from the ninja academy.

It was a nice warm afternoon just a few hours before sunset. Sakura leaned on the railings of the bridge and tilted her head to the skies above. The sun's rays were blinding her sight, so she placed her right hand above her head, to reduce seeing the sunlight.

A full minute passed. She looked at the right side of the bridge and saw a girl with red colored hair and tied in a pigtail sitting on top of the railings humming a nice tune. The girl felt Sakura's eyes gazing at her and she stared at Sakura too. She had deep emerald eyes just like hers.

"How do you do?" her voice was much merrier than hers.

The girl jumped down to the bridge's floor and placed her hands at her back. She grabbed her bag from the ground and smiled at Sakura broadly. "Are you waiting for a certain someone?'

Sakura nodded. "My friend."

"If I am not bothering you, may I ask you?" she stared straight to Sakura's jade colored eyes.

"What is it?"

"Do you know where the Uchiha clan's place?" the girl's question struck Sakura. The pink haired Shinobi downcast her head and replied.

"I don't know where it is."

The girl with the red hair sighed and turned around, but she stopped and turned back to look at Sakura, "Thank you." And then she was off.

Sakura looked up to the girl's direction as she skipped her way to find Sasuke's place. Somehow, she feels that the girl was kind of related to Sasuke in a manner that she began to despise her.

After long minutes of thinking, Sasuke appeared before her. She stared at him for a while before she asked him.

"Somebody's looking for you." She said in an almost sad tone.

"Yeah? Who is it?" Sasuke looked at her with his blank stare.

"I didn't get her name." Sakura replied, fidgeting with her fingers. "She's cute." She added, her head downcast.

Sasuke began to stare at her awkwardly. "Are you worried that she maybe a fan girl? Don't worry Sakura, I don't like fan girls either." He replied. He grabbed her with her hand and they both rushed off to have dinner at the new store just paces from the ninja academy.

* * *

At the store… 

Inside the newly opened store, the two teens saw familiar faces. They settled themselves at a table near the window and a woman stood before their table, seeking for their orders.

When the woman left with their orders, Sakura remained silent and just stared at the passersby walking pass the store. Sasuke couldn't resist but to ask her of what is disturbing her.

Sasuke's hand reached for Sakura's. "What are you thinking?"

Sakura looked at him with a worried look. "Nothing."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes out of suspicion and was about to ask her again when he heard a quite familiar voice at the counter. Sasuke released his hand from Sakura's and turned his attention to the counter. Sakura also turned to look.

"What do you want little girl?" the counter lady asked irritably.

The girl glared at the woman angrily. "I said a glass of water!"

The counter woman rolled her eyes and leaned forward to the girl with her eyes as sharp as of a hawk. "I told you earlier on that you need to pay for it!"

The girl laughed. "I don't know water's not free anymore. What kind of a cheap restaurant is this? Asking payment for just water?" the girl was mocking.

The woman slammed her hands on the table and grabbed the girl by her shirt. "Step out of my store before I put you into jail."

"Okay, I'll leave!" the girl exclaimed. She marched out of the shop but before her foot stepped out of the store, her eyes began to glare at everyone in there.

Sasuke's eyes were glaring at the girl as she passed by the store's window. Sakura was wide-eyed by then for she was the same girl at the bridge who was looking for Sasuke's place a while ago. Sakura stared back to Sasuke and found his eyes following the girl as she crossed to the other street.

"Sakura, wait for me here." Sasuke exclaimed. Sakura stood up from her sitting position and was about to chase after Sasuke, but their food came in. She stared at their food before asking the waitress to give it to her as a take out.

* * *

Sasuke crossed the street and found the girl standing before another store of ramen. He paused a few paces from her and stared at her face before she entered the store.

* * *

The waitress handed Sakura their take-out dinner and she abruptly left the store to chase after Sasuke. She crossed the street too and found Sasuke inside the ramen store. She smiled happily but it became a frown for she saw Sasuke mingling with the red haired girl before. 

She moved inside the store. She stared at the two of them as they converse with each other. Sasuke looked happy to see her and she as well. She gripped tighter to the bag of food she was carrying and tears came flowing down her eyes to her cheeks and finally to the ground.

The waitress of the store saw her and called out to her. Sasuke and the girl turned their faces to the door where Sakura is. Sasuke's eyes widened when he realized that she was crying.

"Sakura!" he called to her.

Sakura looked straight at him. He was running up to her and she began to smile, happy that he was now gladdened to see her, but as fast as lightning and the speed of sound, the girl chased after him and hugged him from behind.

Sasuke stared at the girl wide-eyed. Sakura dropped the bag of food on the ground. The girl hugging Sasuke behind was now crying.

"Let go of me Saya!" Sasuke pulled the girl's arms from her waist but she wouldn't let go.

"Why Sasuke?! Aren't you happy to see me again?" she cried.

Sakura stared at them thunderstruck and it finally hit her. Sasuke looked like he was dumping her. Sakura shook her head furiously and ran off outside the store and rushed off away from the scene.

Sasuke wanted to follow her, but the girl was pinning him to her side.

* * *

The skies began to darken and raindrops begin to fall one by one. Sakura stopped before the bridge and gripped tightly to the bridge's railings. She sobbed silently to herself while images came rushing to her mind. The images of Sasuke's face when he saw the girl and the scene she had seen earlier in the ramen store. 

For some reason, Sakura felt that her relationship with Sasuke is coming to the end and it's because of the red haired girl, who seems to be someone in Sasuke's past life.

Sakura cried and cried, hoping everything that happened to her today will wash up by the rain.

* * *

**So what do you think? Do I need to continue this? Please Review. **


	2. Seeking refuge

**Past and Present**

**Chapter 2: Seeking refuge**

Sakura was sitting on the pavement of the bridge, her knees upright and leveled to her chin, her arms wrapped around them. She was still crying, trying to shove away the images inside her mind. Her tears flowed down her cheeks, mixed together with rainwater. She looked up to the dark tinted skies and closed her eyes to feel the raindrops hitting her skin, but then it stopped. She looked up and saw an umbrella, which protected her from the pouring rain. She turned to her front and saw Naruto looking at her worriedly.

"What happened Sakura?" Naruto asked, kneeling in front of her.

She just stared at him and then she collapsed into his arms. Her body warm, for she was having a very high fever.

……

**Sasuke Uchiha's house.**

"Saya? How did you find me?" The Uchiha prodigy asked. He stared at the girl sitting down on his couch, her legs crossed and smiling at him broadly.

"Are you happy to see me?" she ignored his first question. "I guess not." Her voice lowered down.

Sasuke walked up to her and handed her the bag she was carrying a while ago. "Answer my question or you leave." He said coldly.

Saya looked at him with a pouted lip and sighed. "I ran away from home." She said, crossing her arms on her chest. "Now can I stay?"

"No you can't!"

"Come on! Are you saying I stay outside this unknown land? What will I do when an enemy tries to do something to me?" she gave him very convincing excuses.

Sasuke sighed. "Saya, you're also a genin like me. Don't tell me you don't know any jutsus that will protect you from your enemies?" _Sasuke shoots!_

"I don't know any jutsus! Who told you I was a genin?" _Saya rebounds!_

Sasuke slammed his hands on his wooden table, almost breaking it with the large impact. Saya stared at him with a sharp look.

"Stop lying!"

Saya stood up and walked closer to Sasuke. She looked at him straight to his blank eyes and she slapped him hard on his cheek. Sasuke glared at her when blood dripped down from his upper lip.

"Why are you being cold to me all of the sudden?! We used to be the best of friends! We used to be lovers!" she shouted as tears flowed down from her emerald colored eyes.

"Lovers? We were not, even once been lovers!" Sasuke exclaimed, giving her a sharp look.

"Is it because of that girl? The girl with the pink hair? Did she placed a spell on you, huh Sasuke?!" Saya blurted out, as her tears flowed down to her cheeks.

Sasuke didn't speak.

"Answer me!" Saya cried. She walked closer to Sasuke and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her tears soaked his shirt but Sasuke didn't move at all or even bother to pull her away from him. "You used to like me once, why did you change?"

"I used to like you Saya." He replied.

Sasuke stared on the wall and an image of Sakura flashed before him. "You are like a sister to me now." He added, pulling her arms from him.

…….

Sakura was laying on Naruto's bed for the rain had gone worst and her fever was getting high every passing hour. A damp cloth was placed on her forehead and a blanket was tucked to warm her already shivering body.

Naruto sat down beside her; he helped her sat up and gave her some medicine. Sakura was half awake by then, she saw Naruto watching over her and she felt useless again. She opened her eyes and now was wide-awake. Seeing Naruto made her happy at least.

"What happened Sakura?" Naruto asked, helping her sat up erectly.

Sakura just stared at him, and then she began to weep again. Sakura moved closer to Naruto and wrapped her arms around his back and cried into him. Naruto was thunderstruck at first, but then he began comforting her.

"Naruto, what will I do?" she mumbled under soft sobs. "Sasuke's in love with someone else. I never saw him smile at a girl like that, not even to me."

"Who is this girl? Do we know her?" Naruto asked, patting her back lightly.

Sakura shook her head in response. "He used to know her."

"Maybe she's just a long time friend or maybe his relative from another country. You never know unless you ask her yourself." Naruto advises.

"But the looks he gave her… they were the same as the ones he give to me." Sakura explained. "What will I do if Sasuke fell for her?" she cried again.

Naruto shook his head roughly. "That's not true. Sasuke likes you!" Naruto downcast his head.

…….

The next day, the rain had finally stopped and the sun shone brightly in the heavens. Sakura left Naruto's house that morning. She was walking silently pass the ramen store she had seen Sasuke with the girl, she looked inside… no sign of them.

"_Where are you Sasuke?" _Sakura thought, looking around the newly opened store across the ramen store. She pushed the doors wide open and found Ino at the counter. Ino saw her and called up to her.

"Ino, why are you here?" Sakura asked.

"Nothing special. I was asking them if they needed some flower arrangements in their store." Ino smiled.

"Hello there." The counter lady greeted me. "Were you the girl with that handsome boy last night? The one who left you." Sakura forced to smile.

"You were with Sasuke?!" Ino exclaimed loudly. "Spill it out forehead girl! What did the two of you did last night?" Ino went berserk.

Sakura was forcing her tears not to stream down from her eyes. She smiled at Ino weakly. "He left me after that." And then she rushed out of the store.

"Hey Sakura!" Ino called out to her but she was long gone.

……..

"_The one who left you." _The counter lady's voice echoed inside her mind. She stopped from her pace. She was now standing at the foot of the same bridge again.

_Was that a premonition for her? Sasuke leaving her?_

"Hey!" Sakura looked up when she heard a female voice called out to her. Her eyes widened when she saw Saya sitting again on the railings of the bridge, her eyes death glaring at her.

"Oh it's you." Sakura looked away from her.

Saya jumped down from the railings and moved closer to Sakura. She stopped before her and slapped Sakura hard on her right cheek.

Sakura stared at her thunderstruck. "Why did you do that?" her voice cracking.

"You pink haired freak! You stole him away from me!" Saya retorted.

"Stole who from you?" Sakura was confused.

"Sasuke! See here pink hair, I will make you look bad before him, so he will leave you all alone to fend for your pathetic life. I maybe not the right person for him but I will strive out my best for him." Saya blurted out loudly.

Sakura narrowed her eyes and began to glare at her. "Sasuke's not your possession, so back off!"

"You are mistakenly wrong there, Sakura. Sasuke used to be my lover when we were in our pre-teens."

"He didn't mention you."

"It's been five years. I don' care if he didn't even mention me to you, but I am sure that he once like me and he will like me again!" Saya smirked and passed by Sakura, Saya's shoulder pushing pass her.

"I will make him mine again." Saya told Sakura before she walked away from the bridge.

"_He likes you!"_ Naruto's voice echoed inside Sakura's mind.

Sakura fell on the ground and Saya's words dumfounded her. She stared on the ground, trying to register everything Saya told her a while ago.

Now what can she do? Saya has the lead now, what will happen to her and Sasuke's relationship, which is now crumbling down before her very eyes. After months of dating and happy memories together, now everything began to blur like old photos of yesteryears.

………..

**Q/A: What do you think of Saya? **


	3. Poisons

**PAST OR PRESENT**

**Chapter 3: Poisons**

"Where's Sasuke?"

Kakashi and his students were at their usual training grounds, in an exemption for one. It was a very fine day indeed, with the sun shining brightly, the breeze somewhat warm and cold and the surroundings in a very good mood. Naruto looked at Sakura, who was leaning on a tree branch and looking pre-occupied. He walked up to her but when Sakura saw him, she began to move away from him.

"Wait Sakura!" Naruto chased after her. He finally caught up to her and she began to fasten up her pace.

"Go away Naruto!" Sakura shouted.

"Why are you running away?" Naruto exclaimed.

Sakura began to run as fast as she could out of that forest when…

"Ow." She fell on the ground for she bumped into someone pretty hard. She touched her soaring forehead and looked up to glare at the person in front of her but her glare turned into a thunderstruck expression. It was Sasuke. He was looking down at her with a blank expression.

"Sasuke!" Naruto panted as he stopped behind his two friends, who were then staring at each other. "Where have you been Sasuke?!" Naruto blurted out.

"It's none of your business!" Sasuke shouted at him. He looked back at Sakura, who was now standing up. She walked passed him without saying a word, Sasuke felt awkward being ignored by that, so he grabbed Sakura's right wrist and she paused beside him.

"Can I talk to you?"

Sakura looked back at him and smiled. "There's nothing to talk about." She said and abruptly she pulled her wrist from his grip.

Naruto stared at them with a confused look. Naruto was about to walk up to them but when he began stepping his foot forward, his stomach began to rumble. Sakura and Sasuke heard his stomach rumbling and stared at him with weird faces.

"Did you eat some breakfast?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura turned to look at Naruto and she began to wander why his skin began to pale and his lips turning bluish.

"Hey Naruto, are you feeling all right?" Sakura began to worry.

Naruto clutched his aching stomach and he fell to the ground, rolling out of stomach pain. Sakura and Sasuke rushed up to his aid and Naruto began to vomit. Kakashi then saw them and knelt beside Naruto, examining his features.

"What is happening to him, Sensei?" Sakura asked, patting Naruto's back lightly.

Sasuke stared at Naruto with a worried look. Then he remembered something…

…….

"_Sasuke, sooner or later I'll be joining your team." Saya said, holding up a clear bottle filled with a blue colored liquid. _

…….

Sasuke stood up and jumped up a tree branch. Sakura turned around to look at Sasuke and she shouted out to him.

"What are you looking at Sasuke?" she asked worriedly.

"I bet I know who did that to him." Sasuke looked back to Naruto, who was now wincing in pain. "He's been poisoned." He told Sakura and Kakashi.

"Do you know who did this, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, carrying Naruto into his back.

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't know yet, but I'll soon find out. I'll be going now!" he told his team and was off to look for the person behind Naruto's poisoning.

Sakura stared at Sasuke's retreating figure before he faded out from her sight. She followed her teacher to Tsunade's office, carrying the almost dying Naruto.

……..

Sasuke stopped before his old house. He walked right in and saw the door widely open. He barged in and saw Saya, sitting down on the floor in the middle of his house's living room. She turned to look at him and threw something to him.

Sasuke caught the object she threw and open his palms to reveal what the object was. It was the bottle she showed to him that previous night. Now, the bottle was empty out of its contents.

"Are you behind Naruto's poisoning?" Sasuke remained his coolness.

Saya stood up and stretched her arms up in the air. She grinned at him. "It was his own fault."

Sasuke walked up to her. "Why did you do that?"

"He a hindrance!" she exclaimed, staring straight to Sasuke' onyx colored eyes. "Don't worry, I have the antidote with me. I'll give it to him when I finally get what I want." She walked pass him.

"SAYA!" Sasuke shouted and when he turned around, Saya was long gone.

……..

"You're right, he has been poison." Tsunade said, examining Naruto's stomach x-ray. She looked at Kakashi and threw to him a brown envelope.

"What is this?" Kakashi asked, opening the seal of the envelope.

"There is a mission for your team, but I guess not having Naruto around will eventually give the mission to Asuma's team." Tsunade explained. "But, there's a temporary replacement to Naruto. Open the envelope Kakashi."

Kakashi obediently opened the envelope while Sakura stared at Tsunade with a worried look.

"Who is this?" Kakashi asked, looking at a genin profile in front of him.

"Her name is Saya Yamamura. She's from the waterfall village. She asked me earlier on that her country has a mission for her and that's to render services to our village. So she might be an applicable and temporary member to your team, seeing Naruto's condition that is." Tsunade exclaimed.

Kakashi stared at the Hokage for a while, and then he looked at his female student, who was looking stunned.

"I say, I approve with this." Kakashi replied, returning Saya's profile back to the brown envelope. "When are we going to start?"

Sakura was thunderstruck by then. A mission with the two people she despises now. She slammed her hands on Tsunade's table and Tsunade stared at her with a dumbfounded expression.

"I disapprove with this mission!" Sakura blurted out, fists clenched.

"Why is that?' Tsunade placed her hands on her desks and stared at Sakura with a sharp avid look. "Sakura, I've been watching your expression when I mention Yamamura's name. Why? Do you have some problems with her?"

Sakura lowered her head, seeing that Tsunade would not back off their mission, she sighed deeply and nodded her head in agreement.

"When will we start our mission?" Sakura repeated her teacher's previous question and ignoring to answer Tsunade's questions.

"You will start early tomorrow morning." Tsunade smiled, feeling triumphant. "And I am sorry to startle you with a new but temporary member, but let's just hope you'll clear things up with that girl." Tsunade stared at Sakura as the two members of team seven left her office.

……..

_After some moments before Sakura and Kakashi moved out of the office…_

"Thank you master Tsunade." Saya appeared before Tsunade and smiled at her angelically. "I'll be grateful that you allowed me to work as a new teammate with them." she exclaimed happily.

Saya stared at Tsunade's eyes and Tsunade's head fell on the table. "My mind controlling poison has worked with this woman." Saya laughed, placing the antidote into Tsunade's mouth.

"People in Konoha are so gullible." Saya laughed once again, her laugher echoed inside the Hokage's room.

…….

Thank you for the reviews everyone! To make things straight, Saya Yamamura is a poison mistress in the waterfall village. She used one of her poisons to gain over Tsunade's mind to arrange a mission for team seven together with her.

**Q/A: What do you think of the story so far?**


	4. Consequences

**Past and Present**

** Chapter 4: Consequences**

"This can't be happening!" Sakura shouted loudly.

Kakashi had just been assigned to a mission together with Konoha's team of anbus that he cannot join his students on their mission at a random village. Sakura stared wide-eyed at the scenery in front of her… Sasuke and Saya looking at her with weird faces and Saya holding to Sasuke's hand.

"What's the bid deal?" Saya asked, securing her pouch tightly to her waist.

Sakura sighed out deeply and walked ahead. She pulled out the map; Kakashi gave to her earlier that day. She looked at the cross mark just kilometers from Konoha, the place of their destination. She looked back to her teammates and her eyes began to widen. Saya was clinging on Sasuke's arm, while Sasuke pushes her away from him.

Sakura turned back to look at the road in front of her and a grin formed on her lips. _"I'm so glad, he won't allow her to cling at him like that."_ Sakura's grin turned into a mischievous smile.

"Hey pink hair! How far is that village?" Saya shouted at Sakura.

Sakura turned to look at her and saw Saya walking behind her, her emerald eyes staring deep into her own. "Just two more hours." Sakura replied.

"Two more hours! Can we rest for a little while, maybe just a few minutes!" Saya exclaimed. She stopped her pace, but Sasuke and Sakura ignored her and continued to walk. She glared at the two of them and rushed up to them. She grabbed Sasuke's right hand and pulled him into a stop.

"What is it, Saya?" Sasuke stared at her.

"Just for five minutes!" Saya pleaded.

Sakura looked back at them and sighed. "Fine, five minutes then."

Saya gave her a sly smile and sat down on a rock standing still beside her. Sasuke leaned on a tree's trunk across her, while Sakura sits on the ground, looking at the map for a best route to the village.

"How long are you going to look at that darn map?" Saya asked, fanning herself with her hands.

Sakura looked at her with a pissed look. "When I get a better route."

Saya rolled her eyes at her and pulled something from her pouch. It was a bottled liquid, the same container she used for Naruto's poisoning. Sakura saw her opening the cork and realized what Kakashi told her that evening when he walked with her to her house.

……..

"_Be careful with that Saya girl. She has some tricks on her own." _

……..

Sakura stared wide-eyed at Saya and the bottle she was holding that she slapped the bottled liquid from her hands and its liquid spilled on the ground. Saya looked at Sakura with an angry face and stood up abruptly. Saya moved closer to Sakura and snatched the map from her hands and threw it to her face.

Sasuke stared at the two girls with a horrid look.

"What's your damn problem?!" Saya blurted out.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Saya and stood up too, now standing a few inches away from her face.

"You were behind Naruto's poisoning!" Sakura confronted. "Just tell the truth!"

Sasuke walked between them and pulled Sakura from an almost hot tempered Saya. Sakura struggled to free herself from Sasuke's grip but it was useless. Saya death glared at Sakura and moved closer to Sasuke and Sakura. She pushed Sasuke's hands from Sakura and slapped her hard on her cheeks. Sakura was astonished, for it was the first time that someone had slapped her on her cheeks, even her own mother cannot do that to her.

"Don't start blaming others if you don't have a proof! If you're accusing me of your friend's poisoning, I suggest you give me a proof!" Saya exclaimed, her teeth clenched.

Sakura downcast her head. She felt embarrassed accusing Saya without a real proof. Her emotions overcome her. Sasuke touched her shoulders, but she pushed them away from her.

"Just leave me alone!" Sakura shouted and ran off to a different route leading to a mossy swamp of a forest.

"Sakura!" Sasuke called out to her. He was about to chase after her, but Saya stopped him.

"She'll come back! It's dangerous out there!" Saya begged.

Sasuke glared at Saya and shoved her hands from him. "You two! Why can't you just get along with each other?!" Sasuke exclaimed and then he rushed off inside the forest to find Sakura.

Saya was left all alone in the trail. She looked at the forest and then with a moment of thinking, decided to follow the two of them.

…….

"_You're such a loser Sakura."_ Sakura told herself, running past dead trees on her way deep inside the heart of the forest.

She was running in a very fast speed that she didn't see a dead tree lying on the ground, and she tripped over, rolled like a ball and stopped when her back slumped hard on a big rock. Her visions blurred and she fell to unconsciousness.

…….

Sasuke stopped to look at the ground for Sakura's footprints on it. _"Where could she be?"_ Sasuke asked himself and then he heard sounds of footsteps running towards him. He pulled out his kunai and scanned the vicinity. The footsteps were now getting closer to him, he threw his kunai at his right side direction and she heard a female scream. He knew that voice.

He walked closer behind a bush where he heard the girl's scream and his eyes widened. Saya was slumped down on the muddy ground, his kunai on her right shoulder. He abruptly rushed up to her aid and pulled the kunai from her shoulder and blood gushed out from the deep wound. He pulled out a piece of cloth from his pocket and tied it on her shoulder to stop the bleeding.

Saya was panting and she began to tremble. Sasuke then remembered… Saya was afraid of the blood. Saya stared at her own blood as it flowed down from her shoulder to her arm and down to her black colored skirt. She began to cry at the sight of this and also fell unconscious after smelling the stench of her own blood.

Sasuke carried her on his back and walked again to find Sakura for it was beginning to get dark and no one knows what wild animals roam that forest at night.

……..

"Agh." Sakura woke up from the intense pain she felt on the back of her neck. She sat up erectly and leaned on the rock at her back. Her head tilted up to the darkening skies and realized that she had fallen asleep for the entire afternoon.

_Snap._

She heard a twig snapped behind her. She pulled out her kunai and stood up abruptly.

"Sasuke?' she lowered her weapon when she saw Sasuke staring at her, with an unconscious Saya on his back.

"Where did you run off to?' Sasuke's voice sounded weak. He walked closer to her and she remained motionless in her place, when Sasuke collapsed right in front of her eyes. Saya's body fell beside Sasuke's, her shoulder-bleeding non-stop.

"Sa..sa..suke…" Sakura mumbled under deep heartbeats.

"HEY!" her voice echoed in the entire dead forest. The night began to hallow now and darkness had jut surpassed the light.

"_This can't be happening to me right now!" _

…….

Now she's having a more difficult problem, with Sasuke fast asleep from the exhaustion of finding her and carrying Saya's body and Saya bleeding badly from her shoulder wound, what can she do? She is just plain Sakura…. Or is she not?

……..

**Sorry for the late update. Please Review. **

**Q/A: What do you think will happen next? I need some ideas. Thanks! **


	5. Our last moments

**Past and Present **

** Chapter 5: Last moments**

Sakura manage to drag Sasuke and Saya's body underneath a tall shady tree. It was late at night when Sasuke finally woke up from his exhaustion. His first reaction was to call Saya's name, upon hearing the redhead's name, Sakura's heart broke into tiny fragments.

…….

"_Someday, he'll be mine."_ Saya's words echoed inside Sakura's mind and she dropped the roll of bandages she will tie around Saya's shoulder.

…….

"Saya, are you all right?" Sasuke rushed beside Saya's side and abruptly he unbuttons her jacket and a deep wound was seen before his eyes. He really did a lot of damage to her.

Sakura just looked at him as he carefully placed herbal medicine around her wounds.

"You're doing it all wrong." Sakura knelt beside Saya's body and snatched the medicine bottle from Sasuke's hands. "You drop two droplets to the wound to relieve the pain and also help the blood to clot." Sakura said, dropping two droplets of the herbal medicine to Saya's wounds.

Sasuke stared at her as she carefully wrapped Saya's wound with bandages. "What happened to her?" Sakura asked, as she tied the bandages to secure it from falling down.

"I accidentally threw a kunai at her thinking that she was an enemy." Sasuke replied, sitting down on the ground, looking at Saya's face with guilt.

Sakura sat down beside him after she buttons back Saya's jacket. "It's not your fault. People make mistakes." Sakura exclaimed standing up. She looked down at him and offered a hand to him. "You must be hungry, a while ago I went to fetch some water and I found wild berries."

Sasuke grabbed her hand to his and pulled her to him, Sakura was surprised that she tripped over her own foot and landed on top of Sasuke. Sasuke groaned and pushed her a bit away from him. Sakura blushed then they both heard Saya's moaning from her injury.

"Sorry." Sakura got off from him and sat up, her cheeks blushing bright crimson.

Sasuke sat up too, brushing his bangs away from his eyes. "My fault."

They remained silent for a whole minute…

"I'll be over there." Sakura told him. She stood up and walked to a spot, where her bag was located just paces from them. She pulled out a container where the berries were kept from her bag and walked back to Sasuke, offering him her picked berries.

"Are they poisoned?" Sasuke refused at first.

Sakura laughed. She took one berry from the container and placed it inside her mouth, chewed it and then swallowed it. "Now try it." she insisted.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and still refuses to have a bite from the berry. Sakura smirked and she grabbed a berry from the container and moved closer to him. Sasuke stared at her and realizing that she will attempt to put the berry inside his mouth, he moved away from her but Sakura caught him by his hand, pulled him closer to her and placed the berry successfully in his mouth.

Sasuke chewed the berry reluctantly but the sweetness of the fruit made his reluctance fade away and he asked for more. Sakura was delighted and handed him the container eagerly.

"See, it's delicious!" Sakura exclaimed delightfully.

Sasuke stopped eating the berries and placed it down to the ground. "Do you hate Saya that much?"

Sakura's laughs ceased and her head lowered down. She shook her head and looked back to Sasuke with a smile on her lips. "Do you want some more? I'll get more for you." She said and ran off to find more berries.

Seeing Sakura's expression made a large impression to him that she is not comfortable with Saya.

Sasuke didn't decide to follow her and just stared at the berries sprawled on the ground. He stepped on one of it. _"Why do you keep ignoring me?"_ He thought, fists clenched.

……..

Sasuke sat down on the ground, rolling two berries to avoid boredom; he was having a little amusement of what he was doing when a hand reached up to his arm. He jerked and turned around to find his eyes staring straight to a pair of emerald eyes. It was Saya, she finally woken up from her rest.

"How are you feeling?" Sasuke asked, lowering his hands down.

Saya stared at her wound and touched it. "It burns." She replied in a weak tone.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were an enemy that I accidentally threw the kunai at you, it was stupid of me!" Sasuke exclaimed.

Saya didn't look up to see his expression. She moved closer to him and she leaned her head on his chest. She wrapped her arms around his upper torso. "It's my fault. I should have been more careful." Saya said.

Sasuke wanted to hug her but he was too scared that Sakura might see them like that, so he pulled Saya's arms from him and instead touched her cheeks with his hands, and Saya blushed. He did that because he was tired of hurting Sakura again, a simple touch on the cheeks is not a wrong move, but…

"Saya," but he was stopped when he saw Sakura looking at them with a bewildered look from under a tree across them She dropped the berries from her hands and she began to laugh. Saya and Sasuke stared at her with weird faces.

"I'm so sorry. I'll be off now, please enjoy what you were doing." Sasuke saw a tear fell down to the ground. "Sorry for the intrusion!" Sakura exclaimed, tears streaming down from her eyes, but she was smiling.

It was a mask to hide the truth of her feelings.

"Sakura, it's not what you think!" Sasuke explained. He stood up, leaving Saya looking at Sakura with a triumphant smile.

"You don't need to explain everything to me Sasuke. I am not dumb, I completely understand." She walked to where her bag was and walked off with it.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke asked, walking up to her. He grabbed her by her arms and turned her to look at him, but her face was downcast. "I was just…" Sasuke paused.

Sakura looked up at him with narrowed eyes. "You don't need to explain. We are through. Just forget that there was you and me." She pulled away from his grab and she ran away from the two of them.

Sakura stopped half way from them and turned to look at them for the very last time. "I'll go back to Konoha. I'll ask Master Tsunade to give the mission to Teacher Asuma." She exclaimed before fading from the distance.

Saya sat there with a look of triumph. She stood up and moved closer to Sasuke's side. "Without her, we'll be the most happiest couple, Sasuke." She whispered to him, a grin on her lips.

Sasuke looked at her with a blank expression and pushed her to his side. "Let's go back to Konoha." He persuaded, grabbing his and Saya's belongings from the ground.

……..

Sakura was running and dodging everything that blocks her way to Konoha, as tears streamed furiously from her already soaring eyes. She didn't mind the pain on her feet, all it matters right now is to reach Konoha and lock herself in a secluded world without Sasuke or even Saya to bother her.

Now that she had just broken up with Sasuke, will she be able to leave a new life?

……..

**Flashback.**

"_How long is forever?" _

"Forever is eternity…" 

…….

**Sasuke and Sakura's relationship has ended. Did Saya won or will there be turn of events? Review for an update. Thanks! Don't worry, the story's not going to end so soon.**

**Q/A: Will Saya win or will Sakura win back Sasuke?**


	6. Interrogations

**Past and Present**

**Chapter 6: Interrogations**

Sakura finally reached Konoha's gate. She paused beside the gate and leaned on it to catch her breath. Moments later, a cold hand tapped her on her shoulder and she jerked around surprised. It was Ino.

"Hey! Why are you here this late at night?" Ino asked.

Sakura stared at her, trying to register what she had just said to her and then she burst into tears, running towards Ino. Ino was dumbfounded, telling herself that she had made her cry.

"Ino!" Sakura cried into Ino's arms. Ino didn't hesitate to push her friend away and instead wrapped her arms around Sakura's upper torso.

"What happened?" Ino's voice was sympatric.

Sakura ignored her question and just cried into Ino's shirt, soaking it wet.

"Let's go to my house. You can stay there for the night." Ino said, pulling Sakura's arms from her waist and dragged her straight to their house.

Sakura just cried on their way there.

……..

Sasuke and Saya were standing in front of the Hokage the following morning, the time when they finally reached Konoha. Tsunade looked at them with a confused look. She placed her hands on her desk and sighed.

"I assigned you a mission? I don't remember asking you for a mission!" Tsunade exclaimed, staring suspiciously at Saya.

Saya half smiled, remembering that she had just given the Hokage the antidote, making her forget what she did the last time they met.

Sasuke stared at Tsunade with a confused look. "Whatever." Sasuke was exhausted that he didn't mind being cold and rude towards his superior. He grabbed Saya by her hand and they both went out of Tsunade's office.

Shizune walked beside Tsunade's chair and whispered something to Tsunade's ear. The Hokage's eyes widened and she stood up abruptly and a yell was heard.

"THEY BROKE UP!"

……..

Meanwhile…

Ino's fingers were tapping the table with loud sounds of irritation. Her brows were furrowed and she was staring at Sakura with an angry look.

"Ino?" Sakura mumbled Ino's name and then the blonde haired girl sprung up from her chair and ruffled her hair in a disheveled way.

"YOU BROKE UP WITH SASUKE?! How could you, Sakura!" Ino shouted, fists clenched into iron balls.

"I am tired of seeing him with another girl." Sakura replied in a sad tone of voice and looking away from her friend's enraged face.

Ino walked up to her friend's side and sighed out deeply. "You gave up that easily? Where's the strong willed Sakura, I know?"

"I don't know." Sakura clutched her skirt with both of her hands, her head downcast and tears streaming down from her eyes.

"So you followed the saying: when you love the person deeply, you have to let them go. Come on, we're talking of real life here!" Ino exclaimed, devastated.

"It's better that way." Sakura forced a smile.

Ino rolled her blue colored eyes and grabbed Sakura on her right elbow. "Let's go!" Ino commanded, dragging Sakura up from her chair.

"Where are we going, Ino?" Sakura asked, pulling her elbow from Ino's tight grip.

"We're going to look for Sasuke and that girl that defeated you!" Ino replied angrily opening the door for Sakura, and a look of determination written on her deep blue colored eyes.

"Let's leave that be." Sakura pleaded. She looked at Ino with a begging stare but Ino didn't fell for it. Ino wanted Sasuke to mend their relationship again. It took her two years too give up Sasuke for Sakura's sake and now her work will be all in vain for just a newbie.

"Who's the girl by the way?" Ino asked as the two of them walked themselves to town filled with busy people doing their morning rituals.

Sakura looked at Ino. "Her name's Saya Yamamura, a genin from the country of waterfall. She's Sasuke's past lover." Sakura's voice was cracking, getting ready for another emotional breakdown.

For the entire night, Sakura kept on crying, unabling Ino to get her beauty sleep.

"Get the hold of yourself, Haruno! The past will remain to be the past and the present will remain the present!" Ino was irritated of the emotional distress her friend is giving her.

It was driving her out of her sanity. Ino hates seeing Sakura returning to a weakling again, that she needed to give her a hand to surpass that break-up of hers.

"What will you do to them if we find them?' Sakura stared at Ino with a worried look.

"Nothing. A confrontation." Ino answered back as they made their way through the ramen stalls aligned near the ninja academy.

………

_Konoha's hospital._

Hinata was looking outside the window of Naruto's room in the hospital. Naruto had finally recovered from the poisoning and was now stable. He was eating pork ramen, Hinata brought on her way to visit him. Earlier that morning, she heard from her cousin Neji that Sakura had broken up with Sasuke.

_Rumors travel fast. _

She wanted to tell the sad news to Naruto, but seeing that he has regained his happy position, she decided to remain it that way.

"Hinata? Are you hungry?" Naruto asked, looking at the Hyuuga heiress with a look of suspicion. "Anything wrong?"

Hinata shook her head gently and walked up beside Naruto' bed and gave him his medicine. He happily grabbed it from her hand and swallowed it, before drinking it down with water.

"Sakura's back." she said, smiling at Naruto, who began to brighten up.

"And Sasuke?" Naruto asked. "They're back from that mission?" he added, a river of questions ready to be asked.

Hinata nodded. She was about to tell Naruto about the break-up and the new girl who was the reason behind Sakura and Sasuke's separation when a medical Nin came inside the room, giving Naruto another medicine.

"What were you saying?" Naruto asked after swallowing the medicine with one gulp of water.

Hinata regretted. "Umm… get well soon!" she lied.

Naruto raised a brow but then he smiled broadly. "Yeah!"

………

"Darn it! Where are they?!" Ino yelled, crossing her arms on her chest looking at Sakura, who was sitting on a bench overlooking the bridge.

"Forget it Ino. Let's go back." Sakura pleaded. She didn't want to see them, for it aches her heart to see them that way, being lovy dovy and all.

But deep inside her heart, she wanted to burst into madness and pound off Saya and give Sasuke a lecturing, but she had no guts to do that for it will have to give her a few weeks of recovery. It is very hard to get over a break-up, especially if you have shared something precious with that person.

"Not a chance! I'll give those two a piece of my mind!" Ino retorted.

Sakura sighed seeing how hot-tempered Ino turned out to be… then her eyes finally caught the sight of them. They were going to pass the bridge, Saya's fingers intertwined with Sasuke's. Sakura was staring at them with trembling eyes, which caught Ino's attention.

Ino saw them and her blood began to boil. She left Sakura and charged up to Sasuke and Saya, who were by then mingling with each other.

_Though Sasuke looked bored._

"Hey there!" Ino greeted them. She was standing in front of them, looking angrily at them.

Sasuke looked away, but Saya stared back to Ino's eyes. "What do you want?" Saya asked, rudely. "I know you, you are that pink hair's friend." Saya added, releasing her hand from Sasuke's.

"That's me! Who the hell are you?!" Ino was fuming out of rage.

Saya smirked at her and moved closer to Ino so that her face will be inches away from Ino's. "The name's Saya Yamamura. I am guessing you're here to find the truth of Sakura and Sasuke's separation?" Saya also crossed her arms on her chest.

"You're psychic!" Ino mocked.

Saya circled Ino in a way a predator will do before pouncing on its prey. Sakura saw them and realized they were going to start a fight sooner and later. Sakura rushed up to them and pulled Ino away from an already pissed Saya.

"Ino, let's go!" Sakura begged.

Ino pushed Sakura away from her and caught Saya's blouse collar. "Tell me now redhair!"

Saya laughed. Sakura looked at Sasuke's face and he was looking away, ignoring what is happening before him, then he turned his head to Sakura's with a look of blankness, this make Sakura drop Ino's hand.

"You wanna know the real truth?" Saya's voice caught Sakura's attention.

Saya moved her way back to Sasuke. She grinned at Sakura like what she did last night and her hands moved to Sasuke's neck. Sasuke was staggered of what she was going to do and in a blink of an eye, Saya kissed Sasuke on his lips and also right before two dumfounded witnesses. Ino was enraged after that and Sakura had another emotional breakdown.

"You're not in a position to do that!" Ino exclaimed, pointing a finger at a giggling Saya.

Sakura's eyes filled with tears of distress. She backed away from them but a rock was behind her and she stumbled back. Ino saw her friend sitting on the floor, crying and she rushed up to her aid.

The strong willed Sakura has now turned into a _pumpkin _again.

Saya and Sasuke remained motionless in their place, but deep inside Sasuke's mind he wanted to help Sakura, but he was angry with her for breaking up with him without listening to his explanations. Sasuke turned away from the two girls before him while Saya remained there, looking at them emotionless.

"Sorry Sakura, but Sasuke's my boyfriend now. It's your own fault you turned him down without realizing that there must be an explanation for it." Saya said, catching up with Sasuke, who was halfway crossing the bridge.

Ino was thunderstruck of what Saya had said. Sakura however was in a mental block for her emotion had filled her head with great stress.

"Sakura?" Ino whispered Sakura's name but the pink haired _heroine_ remained stunned in her situation. She just stared at Sasuke' retreating figure before her tears blurred away her vision of him.

Sakura has been _finally_ defeated.

Saya has conquered.

And

Sasuke turned into his cold and emotionless disposition again.

……..

**Sorry for another late update. Review for an update. Don't worry this is a SASUSAKU fic and I am sure you know what the ending/ pairing will be. **

**Next chapter… It's Naruto's turn to help.**


	7. Moving forward

**Past and Present**

**Chapter 7: Moving forward  
**

_When someone is hurt, she or he tries her or his very best to move forward, despite the fact that it isn't easy to live another new life._

……..

It's been three days since Sakura and Sasuke's break-up. Sakura's friends were dismayed when they found out about their separation and they all hold personal grudges over Saya, who has been rumored to be Sasuke's new girlfriend and the cause and effect of the separation. However, Saya doesn't mind at all. She was happy and well contented, even though every friend of Sasuke and Sakura hated her.

Saya was indeed a strong person, hiding her face within a _mask._

……

However, Sakura tries her best to forget the past, even though it was hurting her within.

Sakura always start her day with an exhausting training by herself at the same training grounds they used when they were still genins and under the supervision of their sensei, Kakashi. She was practicing one of Tsunade's moves when she is bothered by a certain someone, it was Naruto.

Naruto stood below the shady tree where they usually rest after training. He has finally recovered from the food poisoning and was now more energetic as ever. He walked up to Sakura and handed her a pork bun wrapped in an aluminum foil.

"Thanks for this Naruto, but I am still not hungry." Sakura said, looking at the pork bun on her hand. She tossed it back to Naruto, who looked at her with a worried face.

"I've been told a while ago that you broke up with him." he said.

Sakura just smiled after hearing him speak. She realized he didn't even say Sasuke's name, it's as if he hated that person. She turned around and threw a kunai at a tree and she began to laugh. A bull's eye!

Naruto watched her. Her laugh was a fake. "I thought you both love each other."

Sakura's laughs ceased and she clenched both her fists into tight iron balls. Naruto watched her back; her breathing was heavy as if she was enraged. Sakura turned to look at him into his eyes and there was something on her green venomous eyes that troubled Naruto.

It was a look of defeat. An expression hiding something.

"We did, but every relationship has an end, right?" she exclaimed, taking her pouch bag from the ground.

"It will end in a very reasonable reason, Sakura! What's the cause of it?" Naruto's voice was like growls of a hungry tiger.

Sakura looked at him with a surprised expression. She thought of the reasons behind their break-up; the red haired and green- eyed girl and the sudden change of emotions of Sasuke's. She walked closer to Naruto and tapped his shoulder lightly.

"I don't love him anymore, that's all," she said calmly before walking passed him in a swift motion.

She was **lying**.

Naruto turned to follow her. Sakura paused when she heard his footsteps coming towards her. She turned around to look at him, now in an expression of a person hurt and in pain. Sakura wanted to cry, but she told herself after that incident that she would never have an emotional breakdown especially when she is trying her best to move forward again.

But it isn't easy to move forward, it will take months or years before forgetting such a dreadful experience. That's what she thought.

"You're lying! With that looks, I bet you're lying to me! Just tell me the reason behind it. I just wanted to help you!" Naruto shouted seriously.

He likes Sakura even up to this point, even though he tries his best not to hurt himself again. He has Hinata now, what more can he asked for? Hinata was just like Sakura, calm, sweet, kind and most of all loving, but his feelings for Sakura never changed a bit.

_Was it loyalty? Or is he having difficulties to move onwards too? Just like the girl before him?_

Sakura smiled at him. "You cannot do anything, Naruto. Sasuke's changed. He has Saya now." She explained without looking at him straight to his eyes.

It is a sign of **guilt.**

"Who the heck is Saya?" the name was familiar to him. He stared at Sakura with a furrowed brow and he began to remember the day he was poisoned.

It was the same girl he saw with Sasuke before their mission to a random village. He recalled her physical looks. He cannot easily forget about that girl for there is something in Saya that Sakura have; the green colored eyes.

"That girl who poisoned me? Am I right?"

Sakura nodded. "That's her! Saya Yamamura of the country of waterfall." Sakura exclaimed.

Naruto began to laugh. Sakura looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"She's not that pretty you know! Why the heck would Sasuke choose a girl like her? You're more beautiful than her!" Naruto exclaimed, still laughing.

Sakura smiled to herself. "You're just telling that to make me happy, but thanks anyway!" Sakura exclaimed. "You're helping just a little bit!" she winked at him and then moved on forwards.

Naruto chased after her and caught her by her arm and he jerked her around to face him. Sakura stared at him surprisingly. The blonde haired boy wrapped his arms around her and gave her one big hug. Sakura blushed bright crimson.

_Was it a friendly hug or there is something about it?_

"What are you doing?" Sakura pushed him away from her.

Naruto scratched his head and smiled out broadly. "A friendly hug!" he replied.

Sakura rolled her eyes and patted him on is head. Naruto glared at her, she is treating him like a dog when she did that patting, but he doesn't mind. He made her smile, that's what matters most to him by now.

…….

"_Blonde hair's making a move with little miss perfect."_ It was Saya. She was listening to Sakura and Naruto' conversation beneath a tree just paces away from them.

She went for a little walk that morning when she found Naruto running towards the woods. She followed him and just her luck… she found Naruto with Sakura.

During her short time of stay in Konoha, she had almost known every chuunin, especially people connected to her boyfriend.

"Of what I have heard, blonde hair is dating that Hyuuga heiress. What if I tell that girl that her boyfriend is hooking up with little pink hair over there. That will make a scandal!" Saya snickered, making her way out of the woods to search for Hinata.

…….

"Sakura. You can always ask me for help. Don't worry, I'll talk with Sasuke and straightened your feud." Naruto said, giving his friend a thumbs up.

Sakura smiled. "Thank you. When I'm in need, you're always there to help me out." She exclaimed, giving Naruto a hug.

Little that they have expected, they were being watched from a far.

Saya was standing just across them at an opposite street. She was holding a camera on her hands and unfortunately she took a picture of the two of them hugging. She had a plan. She wasn't contented with ruining Sakura's life. She despises her still. She was about to show Hinata the picture that same day.

Saya smirked and walked off. A devil renouncing her near victory.

……..

"Where will you go now?" Sakura asked, looking at Naruto, who began to blush.

"I'm having a date with Hinata tonight. Ne Sakura, should I bring her flowers or a box of chocolates?" he asked seriously.

Sakura stared to the blue morning skies. "Anything. Anything that comes within your heart." She exclaimed. "Hinata is lucky to have such a caring and sweet boyfriend like you."

Naruto blushed and scratched his head. "That's why I want Sasuke and you to be back together, so the famous love team in Konoha will be back in business again!" he laughed, smiling at Sakura.

……….

"What are you talking about?" Hinata asked confusingly.

Saya grinned and moved closer to her and showed the picture of a blushing Naruto hugging Sakura.

"They look cute together, right?" Saya snickered, placing the photograph to Hinata's trembling palm.

Hinata stared at the picture with a horrid look. She crumpled the photograph and began to cry, her tears wetting the earth soil beneath her feet. Saya stared at her with a triumphant smile.

"Hate her Hinata! Hate her!" Saya whispered to Hinata as the young heiress broke into an emotional breakdown.

"_I told you Sakura, this is not the end of your suffering, the game has just begun!" _Saya smirked, with a ravenous look of triumph.

……..

**Sorry for another late update!**

**Next chapter spoiler: Saya's evil motives for Sakura are revealed and so is the horrid past of her life.**

**Review for an update.**


	8. Two is a crowd

**Gawd! How's everyone? It's been a very very very long time since I've updated this story. I wish the people who stayed tune to this story is still here and hungry for the next chapter. Please read and review.**

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**PAST AND PRESENT**

**CHAPTER 8: Two is a crowd.**

Sun has already broken over the horizon, enveloping the whole country of Konoha with lightness. People of different ages began to continue their daily chores and routine; children are running to reach their first class on time and vendors began to hover at the streets to intimidate morning passers.

Everyone was busy and happy, except for a certain pink color haired shinobi, who was sulking inside her room. Sakura looked up from the floor and unto her drawer where the picture of her and team 7 laid. It has been a while since the four of them were together. Since Saya moved in with their group, it was no longer a fun group she once knew.

Sasuke was avoiding her and has been spending most of his time with Saya. On the other hand, Naruto has begun to distance himself from Hinata and is now spending most of his time with Sakura. Sakura liked the fact that Naruto's been hanging around with her but the thing which depresses her more is not being able to see and talk to Sasuke.

"Sakura, Honey? Are you already up? Breakfast's ready!" Sakura's mother shouted from below the kitchen.

Sakura looked away from the picture frame and stood up from the floor. Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw an image of Saya, a wide grin on her face as she hugged Sasuke. The pink haired Shinobi clenched her fist, walked out of her room and forced herself to forget those thoughts of Sasuke being with the girl she despises.

Sakura settled herself on a chair next to her father and she began to eat the food, her mother prepared for them. As she took a bite size over her bread, she began to remember her promise with Naruto. The two of them had decided to go to a grocery store to but ingredients for a cake, of which Naruto will give to Hinata for her special day.

Eating as fast as she can, Sakura gulped her orange juice drink, kissed both her parents on their cheeks and immediately left to meet Naruto at their usual waiting spot.

As she made her way to the bridge, she unfortunately bumped into Saya on her way to the waiting spot. As usual, the red haired girl kept her irritating attitude; broad smile painted on her pale porcelain face.

"Where are you going early this morning?" Saya asked as she brushed away a stray lock of red hair from her face. "If you're jogging to lose weight? Let me tell you, it is not working." She cackled.

Sakura kept her composure and rolled her green orbs in aggravation. In her mind, she wanted to punch the red haired shinobi, but she needed to cool off or instead she will end up losing herself again.

"I am meeting someone," Sakura replied flatly.

"Is that a certain blonde?" Saya smirked.

Sakura's eyes narrowed and she walked closer to Saya. "What if I say, yes?"

"I don't have anything to say about that. But let me tell you this, Sakura Haruno. Meeting up with the blonde haired guy will not help you forget about Sasuke."

Sakura glared at Saya. "This has nothing to do with Sasuke!" she exclaimed in high pitch tone.

"Of course it does not. But it has something to do with Hinata." Saya brushed herself pass Sakura and then she stopped on her tracks to continue with her talking. "Hinata hates you for stealing Naruto's attention from her,"

Sakura's eyes widened and she turned to look at Saya, only to see her back facing her. The red haired girl smiled to herself and she tossed a piece of paper to Sakura, who caught it to her hands.

"What is this?" Sakura asked.

Saya giggled. "Just proof of why Hinata hates you now."

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed as she unfolded the piece of paper. In an instant, she felt something drop on her stomach, her breathing began to pace off and her heart throbbed hard and heavy in her chest. She was now looking at a picture of her and Naruto happily talking at the bridge. Crumpling the picture on her hand, she looked at Saya and the red haired girl turned to look at her.

"Satisfied?" Saya raised a brow.

"Why are you doing this?!" Sakura shouted in frustration.

"I am doing this for Hinata and not for you,"

"You're insanely mad!" Sakura threw the paper at Saya, who caught it with her hand and she flicked it towards the river beside her.

"You know Sakura; we could have been good friends." Saya shook her head teasingly. "But apparently, we were both born to hate each other. Let me tell you this, Sasuke is mine. Getting rid of me would not be easy."

Sakura looked away from Saya's gaze. "No matter what you say, Sasuke will come back to me."

"Tell that to yourself," Saya laughed. As the red haired teen retreated from the river bank, a dark blue haired girl passed by Sakura's side.

Sakura knew who it was. It was Hinata, running and catching up with Saya. As she confusingly looked at Hinata running over to her nemesis, more of her vital signs increased. Hinata turned to look at Sakura; her eyes burning with fury as she looked at the pink haired ninja. Saya turned her head to her side and she grinned once more.

"You see, Hinata's on my side now." Saya announced.

"Why, Hinata?" Sakura asked in a confused-like tone.

Hinata looked away from Sakura's gaze and then she clenched both of her fists. "Because I hate you Sakura. I really hate you!"

Saya laughed loudly. "Well, it's good to have someone on your side. Now, how does it feel having your friend become your enemy? Does it hurt, Sakura?" Saya added.

Sakura stared at the two of them with a thunder struck expression. Of all the bad things that might happen to her, why did it have to end with this?

"I hate you for stealing Naruto away from me!" Hinata shouted; tears flowing down to her cheeks. And Sakura could only watch her from a far, tears almost settling on her green colored orbs.

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**A/N: Yeah! I hope people would like this story. XD READ AND REVIEW! FLAMES WILL BE EXTINGUISED! ^^,**


	9. Reminisce

**Thanks for the reviews and I am so sorry for the VERY long delay. For now, let's have a short story about Sasuke's past with evil Saya.**

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**PAST AND PRESENT**

**Chapter 9: Reminisce**

The wind rustled the autumn breeze, scattering orange and red leaves on the earth soil. The sun was up and shining brightly at the heavens, decorating the skies magnificently. It was a beautiful afternoon and is a good time to reminisce his past.

Sasuke was leaning over a tree trunk, his head tilted up to the blue skies. A bird flew past him and sends shadows over to his face. He didn't flinch for he was already deep in his thoughts.

It has been a very long time since he last seen Saya. They were childhood friends. The Uchiha Clan was once close to a weapon maker clan; the infamous Sakashita clan. The Sakashita clan has provided the Uchiha with the weapons they would need in their missions. The two families were in good terms with each other and so are their children.

"_Sasuke-kun!" a little girl with red short haired came running to Sasuke, her flower ornaments on her hair falling down to the ground once she glomped over to Sasuke. _

"_Tsuki, why are you here?" Sasuke asked as he released the girl from his embrace._

_Tsuki Sakashita is Saya's younger twin sister. She has red short hair with deep dark gold eyes like their mother's. She was frail and fragile. A sickly little girl who needs protection by everyone. _

_Tsuki smiled at Sasuke and then she picked out from inside her red Yukata an origami she herself has made for the Uchiha prodigy. It was a swan, a beautiful origami made out of red parchment paper. The young girl presented the origami to Sasuke, who took it to his hands and stared at its wonderful feature. _

_Tsuki was good at this kind of thing. Being locked up inside their house all the time, she has gained a talent for origami making. _

_As the two friends began to chat with each other, Tsuki's father appeared before them and pulled away Tsuki from Sasuke's front. The young girl struggled with her father but gave up when she began to cough violently, blood dripping out from her lips. Sasuke only managed to look at her with a worried expression._

"_Please excuse us. I need to send my daughter to the doctor." Tsuki's father said as they both retreated from the Uchiha mansion._

_Sasuke looked down to the swan origami on his hand and he retreated back to their mansion to seal away Tsuki's gift to one of his treasure boxes in his room. Sasuke liked Tsuki but he knows that sooner or later, the girl whom he liked so much will soon disappear from him._

_After five months, Sasuke's fear happened. Tsuki died. His family attended Tsuki's funeral. Everyone was wearing their black funeral kimonos. He saw Tsuki's parents near her tomb, crying. As he was scanning the whole area, a red haired girl appeared from behind a tree, her long black yukata covered with black mud. She looked sad as she came up to Tsuki's grave._

_It was Saya, Tsuki's twin. The young girl walked up to her parents and hugged them, her green orbs looking down to her sister's grave. As the remaining Sakashita family wept for their deceased member, Sasuke could only feel pity over them._

_After the funeral, Sasuke's parents went over to the Sakashita's to talk while Sasuke and his brother were left in their mansion. Sasuke locked himself inside his room as he stared at Tsuki's swan origami on his hand. A tear fell to the origami as he remembered Tsuki's happy face. Indeed, he was much in love with the young Sakashita daughter. _

"Sasuke-kun! What are you doing up there?" Saya shouted from below the tree, her long red haired flowing with the breeze. "The Hokage is calling for you,"

Sasuke snapped out from his thoughts and looked down to Saya. For a moment, it was Tsuki's face that appeared before him and not Saya's. As he stared at Saya's face, he began to realize the truth behind everything.

He was not in love with Saya in the first place. He was drawn to her resemblance to Tsuki, which made him fall in love with her. All this time he was blinded by the fact that he cannot let go of his feelings for Tsuki. He liked Tsuki and being with Saya compensated the lost time he should have share with the younger twin. If only he had realized this, maybe he could have let go of his past and moved on with his future with Sakura.

Saya stared at Sasuke with a confused expression. As the young Uchiha prodigy jumped from the tree branch and settled beside Saya, the red haired teen realized a change of mood in him.

"Are you okay?" Saya asked.

Sasuke could only stare at her and nodded. "Everything's fine," he forced to smile. "Everything is all right now." He added as he passed by Saya's side and to the Hokage's office.

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**A/n:** Okay, thanks to everyone who tuned in with this story. I have introduced to you a late character. Her name is Tsuki Sakashita; the youngest twin of our main antagonist. To clear everything up, Sasuke is not really in love with Saya, but to her twin's resemblance. Okay, now let's review. XD


	10. What burns within

**Have you ever asked why Saya behaves like that? How she hated Sakura? Maybe this time, you will understand her. This is Saya's point of view of why she acted like that and a brief information of her relationship with her deceased twin. Thanks for reading.**

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**PAST AND PRESENT**

**Chapter 10: What burns within**

**(Saya's POV)**

I was born with complete limbs. I wasn't sickly and fragile. I was born normal but I was never the favorite child. I have red colored hair like my mother's and green colored eyes like my father's. I was young and innocent, but no one seems to care.

It was always Tsuki. Tsuki this and Tsuki that. _Why don't you be like your sister? Why can't you be better?_

I was always the least loved one. Though Tsuki and I were both twins, I seem to be the shadow of her; a mere shadow which no one dares to notice.

And so I lived a life full of expectations. My father trained me to become a good shinobi. He would train me for hours without breaks while my little sister spends her time inside our house; safe and warm. She was always the best in my parents' eyes. She has all the attention and the love while I was left with the remnants.

I hated Tsuki. I hated her so much. But how many times I try to despise her, the more she is drawn to me. We were alike in so many ways and when everybody's ignoring me, she seems to be the one to pull me out from the darkness.

I wanted to hate her, but she is all I've got. _She's all I've got._

"Saya. Place this on your hair." Tsuki presented me with a black Iris flower; the only flower that grew in our backyard.

I looked up to meet her gold eyes and she smiled at me. I hated that smile of hers. It's like as if she was mocking me. But I didn't hesitate to take her gift to my hands. I like the Black Iris that grew in our backyard and more, I loved the color of black upon my red locks.

Tsuki happily placed the flower on my hair and began to comb it with her hands. Her hands were smooth and cold just like ice. She was having a very high fever at that moment. She didn't even complain and she talked a lot while I listened to her stories. She was sick but she wants to appear that she is better.

Tsuki was always happy despite the fact that she was ill. I find that part of her annoying but her laugh was the only thing I could hear resounding in my ears like melody.

"You know Saya. Someday if I'll get better, we'll go back to the waterfall village and visit our grandparents. I want to spend time with you and away from this country." Tsuki embraced me, her hug warm upon my skin. I looked at her and smiled.

"Then you should rest now," I pulled away from her embrace. "You're sick. You should be in bed." I wanted to scold her.

Tsuki smiled at me. "Then to bed I shall go," she winked at me, childishly.

I watched her as she retreated back to own room. As I watched her go, a hazy fog began to surround her. I looked up to the skies and raindrops began to fall. I closed my eyes and sighed, because at that moment I knew that sooner or later, Tsuki would have to go.

It was when the Black Iris withered when Tsuki died. It was early in the morning when I found out that she was no longer breathing. I was shocked and I stood beside her dead body, gazing down to her face. She looked peaceful and I knew she was happy. I wanted to slap her, to wake her up but I know she won't open her eyes once more.

I was alone again. I wanted to run away from home. I wanted to, so I did run away. But falling over mud and dirt and drenching under the rain, I realized that I needed a home. I went back to find my family at Tsuki's funeral. Everyone was weeping. And I was wishing at that time that I should have been the one who died. Maybe, just maybe, my parents would shed tears for me.

Tsuki left me. She broke her promise of being with me and going to the waterfall village to visit my grandparents. She said we will be together. I don't know what to do now. My father was expecting a lot from me again. Now that Tsuki's gone, the attention was focused to me again. I liked the attention but sometimes being invincible is an advantage.

After so many years, I slowly began to move on with Tsuki's death. I was no longer the least favorite one. I have everything now. I have a life now and I have won the heart of the boy, of whom I was infatuated for a very long time. He liked me back despite the fact that when we were young, he used to like Tsuki's company. I don't care what changed his mind as long as he is with me.

I have my parents' attention now. I was a good shinobi. I have Sasuke on my side. I was loved once more. But it seems I wanted more attention and I seem to hate losing.

I am competitive.

I am possessive.

I am talented.

Maybe I became competitive of other people because I missed Tsuki's presence. I wanted everything to be mine that even ruining Sasuke's present relationship with that pink haired shinobi has no effect on me. A normal person would feel guilty but I don't care about those emotions anymore.

I am strong. I was bold and full of valor. I have my pride and I am not swallowing it. I wanted to win. And so, here I am acting like a _demon_. A b*tch to everyone. I know that some people want me dead, but let me tell you this… Saya Sakashita would not die. And I will not leave Sakura Haruno happy with Sasuke.

You know why…

Because she reminds me of Tsuki. And I hate her for that.

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**A/N: OKAY. Saya's a bit of insane, let me tell you that! So tell me what you think of my demonic protagonist. XD Next chapter we'll have more drama, more adventure and ROMANCE. XDD Please review. **


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